Used Cold Planers for Sale in HOUSTON, TEXAS are essential equipment for construction and maintenance projects. They’re popular for removing and recycling the asphalt pavement for laying a new pavement layer. In this article, we will discuss everything about the cold planer machine which will be advantageous for those looking for the right equipment for their pavement projects.
What is a Cold Planer or Asphalt Milling Machine?
So, cold planers, which are also called asphalt milling machines, are specialized equipment for removing and recycling the asphalt layer from the paved surfaces like roads. The recycled layer is then again used for laying it on the surface after some mixing process. This is necessary because asphalt layers lose their durability with time and need to be maintained for safety purposes and better experience. With time, they typically wear down due to traffic, weather, and other environmental conditions. The quality of asphalt and laying method also matters a lot. In this case, cold planers tear up the asphalt layer and grind it into a fine texture and then repaved the surface by a new layer.
How Does an Asphalt Milling Machine work?
Asphalt milling machines work on a principle that the rotating drum moves in such a way that its cutting teeth break the asphalt layer and the conveyor belt handles the damaged asphalt, transferring it from cutting drum to waiting truck.
This means that two important components of a cold planer are rotating or cutting drum and conveyor belt. Cutting drum has teeth that play the role of grinding the asphalt layer. It can be used for micro milling which is a useful technique for maintenance purposes. The depth of the milling can also be adjusted to remove the asphalt layer more or less, as per your requirements. This drum is mounted on the conveyor belt that transfers the milled material to the waiting truck.
The cutting teeth of a milling drum are durable, mostly made of steel and can handle the heavy milling tasks. Also, they can be adjusted to different configurations depending upon the strength of the asphalt layer. The conveyor belt is also capable of withstanding heavy transportation at different heights of the waiting truck.
Sizes of Cold Planer or Milling Machine
Cold planers are famous for their precision and strength in road construction and maintenance work. They come in various ranges from compact to large and other options. The size you need depends upon the type and scale of your project. So read this before selecting the size of your cold planer.
Small – Walk-behind Milling Machine
Small cold planers are mostly used repair or maintenance projects of small-scale. They can be used in fixing potholes or damaged part of paved surface and removing small sections of asphalt surface. They’re mostly operated manually and are easy to handle for transporting grinded asphalt to the waiting truck.
Compact Milling Machines
These machines are larger in size than small milling machines and they can handle mid-scale repairing and maintenance projects. Compact asphalt planers are mounted on the trailers for easy transportation and removing larger pavement sections on roads.
Large Milling Machines
These are the larger and most powerful milling machines that can handle heavy loads of asphalt and mostly used in road construction to lay large amounts of asphalt mixture. They are also mounted on the truck to transport the grinded asphalt to them in repair projects. These machines have the strength to remove the complete asphalt pavement lane at once. They also work at high speed, thus enhancing the efficiency of your project.
Half-lane and Full-lane Milling Machines
These are for major road construction such as in commercial and industrial areas. The half lane milling machines have the strength to remove up to 12 feet of the pavement at once. While the full-lane machines are capable of removing up to 14 feet of pavement surface. Their speed and power are enough to handle the large-scale projects in a short timeline.
Advantages of Using Cold Planer in Construction Work
Cold planers are efficient enough to handle different pavement tasks from small-scale to large-scale. They are popular for their efficiency and power to remove large amounts of pavement in a single move. Following are some major advantages of using cold planers.
Uniformity & Smooth Surface
Cold planers deliver a uniform and smooth results when they remove pavement layers. An asphalt overlay gets its perfect foundation from the uniform material extraction performed by the rotating drum which uses carbide teeth. The accurate operation of cold planers results in enhanced road quality that leads to extended pavement life coupled with lower chance of premature wear.
Removal of Damaged Pavement & Material Handling
The capabilities of cold planers allow operators to extract damaged asphalt surfaces and repair potholes without creating any harm to the existing pavement foundation. The conveyor system integrated into the process collects asphalt materials from the milling operation then directs the materials to recycling trucks that minimize manual labor and waste production. The single operation process involves fast cleanup while simultaneously setting conditions for new pavement application.
Budget Friendly & Time Saving
Cold planer operates cost effectively through material recycling since it avoids the use of new aggregates. Project durations decrease through high-speed milling because it eliminates conventional manual removal processes. Larger road rehabilitation activities find the precise nature of this equipment cost-effective by minimizing both waste costs and work-related expenses.
Maintenance Tips for a Cold Planer
If you have a cold plan or want to buy one, make sure you know how to take care of it to keep it functional. Regular maintenance is important for all kinds of heavy equipment to not only ensure quality performance but also safety. Thus, for cold planers, following maintenance tips should be followed;
Regular Inspection of Cutting Tools
Regularly inspect milling drum teeth for wear and damage conditions. The wear of teeth results in performance loss and fuel wastage. Sets of new replacement pieces should go in for regular maintenance. Inspection of the drum is also important to identify the cracks and misalignment since these conditions produce uneven milling and trigger expensive maintenance requirements later.
Proper Lubrication & Hydraulic System Care
The hydraulic system with its moving components need frequent lubrication to prevent overheating and wear. Regularly check these things to monitor hydraulic fluid levels while inspecting for leaks and contaminants that can damage the pumps and valves.
Cleaning & Debris Management
The drum with conveyor belt and chassis requires asphalt buildup removal after every project completion because it can cause clogging and corrosion. Proper maintenance also includes cleaning air filters and the rest of cooled systems to optimize the equipment’s operational state.
Conclusion
The modern road construction and maintenance sector depends on cold planers nowadays. This is because these machines deliver precise results while remaining economical and efficient. These machines guarantee both small repair and large-scale repairing and maintenance work through their ability to deliver uniform millings and smooth surfaces with recycling capabilities.Different project sizes need different machines ranging from compact walk-behind to full-lane milling machines. With that, proper maintenance that enhances both performance and equipment lifespan is also necessary. To gain maximum value and project success from Cold Planers for Sale in HOUSTON, TEXAS people need complete understanding of equipment capabilities along with maintenance and benefits creation strategies. Contact Mico Equipment today if you’re interested in buying high-quality cold planers from top manufacturers.